Ridiculously simple to grow, Mexican sunflower, or Tithonia, is a stunner all summer long, but is especially welcome in the fall. Here it’s paired with an annual salvia, maybe Indigo Spires. The combination of intense orange and intense blue is a real show-stopper. This Tithonia is “Torch,” my personal favorite.

Tithonia is a tall annual, which is direct sown and prefers hot, dry conditions. Pollinators, including Monarch butterflies, love it.